An announcement made today declaring the government's intention to merge the support staff of the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and State Emergency Services (SES) has caused an upset for one union.
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The Public Service Association (PSA) of NSW is calling on the NSW Government to halt the proposed merger until proper community and stakeholder consultation has taken place.
"The Premier needs to pause and realise that if he doesn't move cautiously and collaboratively he is literally risking the lives of people across the state," PSA general secretary Stewart Little said.
Mr Little says other issues need to be addressed before such a decision is put in to play.
"The RFS had hundreds of vacancies heading into the recent catastrophic bushfires and the situation has not improved significantly since," he said.
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"The SES have had their budget repeatedly slashed by this government and desperately need a period of stability to consolidate."
Mr Little said neither have significant support staff resources.
"It's hard to see how merging their functions will improve matters," he said.
A Riverina PSA spokesperson said it is a decision being made blindly.
"Consultation is a must, it is absolutely crucial before making a decision which will vastly affect two significantly important emergency services," the spokesperson said.
Mr Little said RFS and SES were designed to operate separately for a reason.
"They serve completely different functions," he said.
"Once again the government has stomped in with an expedient plan without bothering to consult with public sector workers or the communities affected. We've seen this movie before and it doesn't end well."
NSW Government is yet to provide a response to the PSA.
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